«FINAL FOUR»: ANNOUNCEMENT OF SEMIFINAL GAMES

On 21 and 22 January in Kaunas will take place «Final Four» of the VTB United League-2009/2010. In the semifinal matches play CSKA - «Khimki» and «Zalgiris» - UNICS.

CSKA - «Khimki».21  January, Kaunas. Local time: 18.00
Russian derby opening the «Final Four» program in Kaunas is going to be competitive and unpredictable indeed. It will be the battle of two leading Russian clubs of the last years, active
Participants of «Top-16» of Euroleague. Let us remember that CSKA and «Khimki» have already met during the National Championship this season. That match the fans of both teams remember up to now. CSKA fans remember it with proud for their favourites showed their original character, Khimki`s fans, on the opposite, remember the regret for the lost victory.
The majority of specialists give the palm of victory in the forthcoming match to CSKA, taking into account the fact that the team has recently received the NBA forwarder Pops Mensah-Bonsu from England. Meanwhile «Khimki» have already proved that they are able to play equal to the famous opponent. You should not doubt that motivation of players and coaching staff will be stratospheric. On the whole the play with the epithet «super!» is waiting for Russian and not only fans.

Eugeniy Pashutin, head coach of CSKA:
- Everybody get used that for CSKA there only one place-the first, so I think it is worthless to explain that any other result will be estimated by us as misfortune. The last week was hard for us: match with «Caja Laboral», battle with UNICS during the Russian Championship and now two matches of the highest quality more. In fact we are going to play 4 matches of Euroleague level for 8 days and each of them is important in its way. Now I have important mission- to give the players an opportunity to recreate and to recover (the last is actual for Ramunas Siskauskas, got a slash at the training) and at the same time try to prepare them for the hard trial.
As for the semifinal matches, the rivalry with «Khimki» is getting more and more principle from year to year. Everybody remember what a hard struggle was between our  teams in the play-off final last season. Surely fans remember the first round match of the National Championship where we managed to equalize the score at the last minutes of the prime time due to the quick counterattack and then we piped at the post in the dramatic overtime. I think that a very hard straggle is waiting for us in Kaunas. It will be the match with the team who has almost equal fives with one of the strongest liaisons of centrals and first-class coach-active Europe champion. Nevertheless we are not afraid of this fact we will be play our game and we will try to amaze our rival. Besides acquisition of Pops Mensah-Bonsu will take to our team necessary profoundness of «big» rotation.

Sergio Scariolo, head coach of «Khimki»:
- «Final Four» of VTB United League is the first top in this season that we have to climb to. It’s without any doubt our goals are the highest but at the moment I’m not interested in anything except the nearest game. Please understand it correctly, I am not in favor of running ahead and saying what will happen if… The defeat from «Prokom» and the hardest game in St. Petersburg will make my players think that qualification to «Top-16» of Euroleague doesn’t release them from the duty of continuing to practice hard, to improve the skills and perceive my requests more seriously. I know that basketball is sport number 1 in Lithuania, so it will be very interesting to get acquainted with this country more closely, though I won’t have much time for that. On the one hand we can be happy that we won’t meet the hosts in the semifinal but on the other hand if you want to win you don’t have to think about the opponents, but you have to concentrate on your game. But it doesn’t mean that we won’t prepare to CSKA game, on the contrary we’ll make the double work and will try to surprise our opponents unpleasantly. We’ll have to analyze carefully the manner of play of the newcomer of the read & blue team Pops Mensah-Bonsu in the game against UNICS, but you can see easily that this forward will make the Army team stronger. He is quick, light but is very good in power play, is very good in fighting for rebound and also not bad in defense. I don’t think that he showed his best skills in the first game – Evgeny Pashutin is saving the British player for the games in Kaunas.

«Zalgiris» - UNICS. 21 January, Kaunas. Local time: 21.00
The participants of the second semifinal came this match in the perfect fit and wonderful spirit because of the bright wins last week. «Zalgiris» knocked out Turkish «Fenerbahce» in the Euroleague draw game and win pass to «Top-16». UNICS in its turn managed to defeat the CSKA in the Russian Championship.
It is not an easy thing to define the favourite. This match will be the battle of the most worthful and equal in merits rivals. Meanwhile, «Zalgiris» also could be proud for their win over CSKA in the group round of the VTB United League. The acquisitions of both clubs made before the «Final Four» involve a question of estimation in difficulty. Slovenian playmaker Aleksandar Capin («Zalgiris») and Polish forward Machey Lampe (UNICS) do not need special introduction. We could only guess what a wonderful play will be waiting for us if these players succeed to fall into the patterns of their new teams.

Ramunas Butautas, head coach of «Zalgiris»:
- I won’t make it a secret that it’s very pleasant that the Board of VTB United League trusted us to host the «Final Four». It’s high honor for us and we must look more than just worthy starting from the level of organization to the level of the team’s performance. In our home gym with the presence of our fans we simply don’t have right to slack our work, and that is the reason why I’m sure that the team will try to win both games and it won’t face any problems with motivation. In my opinion such team like «Zalgiris» must not have such problems at all. Arrival to Kaunas of 3 best Russian teams, and I also have to admit that they are playing not last roles in Europe if not to say more, will give Lithuanian basketball fans a unique opportunity to enjoy the high-level show with their own eyes.
We will face UNICS from Kazan in semi-final game – the team that managed not only to beat CSKA at their home arena last weekend but also to score practically 100 points. The last fact alerts much that’s why I am not waiting for an easy walk in the game with the players of Valdemaras Homicius – the duel will be very tough. I know that the rivals will joined by the center Macej Lampe who didn’t want to continue sitting on the bench of «Maccabi» but I’m sure that «Zalgiris» can also surprises the opponents. You also don’t have to forget that the fantastic outcome of the Euroleague Regular Season made the team self-confident and the overcrowded gym will make the team run forward.

Valdemaras Homicius, head coach of UNICS:
- You can’t imagine how it is pleasant to return home. I’ve got a great chance to meet family and friends. It’s not a secret that I was born in Lithuania, was grown up there, and Kaunas gave me a chance to fulfill myself in life. We made a lot of picturesque victories with «Zalgiris» you must know for sure that my best years were connected with this club. I matured as a player there. To play against my home team is honor and pleasure for me and I hope that local fans will understand me even if I’ll hurt them. At the moment «Zalgiris» is not such a weak club like somebody may think. The only fact that «Zalgiris» made it to «Top-16» of Euroleague says much. At the start of the season they faced some problems but I think that now most of them are left behind.
You also don’t have to forget that «Zalgiris» has great experience and traditions of playing at the highest possible level. If we want to win we have to play selflessly and show our best otherwise the result can be not satisfactory to us. We know weak and strong parts of both rivals, we have enough material to study those innovations that appeared thanks to Ramunas Butautas and we also very well aware of the those guys who represent the main danger in the opponent team. Without any doubt the formed guard of «Lokomotiv-Kuban» Aleksandar Capin made the roster of the team from Kaunas stronger. It’s an experienced player who can score and who can pass. I think he won’t have any problems with joining the team.